Trinidad & Tobago: Opposition walks out of parliament scuttling no-confidence motion

Opposition lawmakers have walked out of Trinidad & Tobago’s Parliament after a no-confidence motion against the government was dismissed as frivolous by a ruling party legislator.

Keith Rowley is the leader of the twin-island nation’s main opposition coalition. On Wednesday, he brought a no-confidence motion against the administration of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The opposition had moved to counter the government’s motion of no-confidence in their leader Rowley.

But a ruling party lawmaker dismissed Rowley’s motion during an election year as a waste of time, prompting the opposition walkout. Some members shouted “cowards” at governing legislators as they left Parliament.

Prime Minister Kamla Persaud-Bissessar’s ruling United National Congress (UNC) party asserted that the opposition walkout was a “serious affront to democracy.”

General elections are due by September in Trinidad & Tobago.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press